The Five Senses [book 1]

Six teenagers are finishing up their last day of middle school: Fawn Crimple, David Angston, Carter Massey, Rena and Raven Kinter, and Kendall Mayor. Each of them are tied together by one person, but they're completely oblivious... or are they?
After they're all forced together by fate one night, their lives come crashing down in flames - literally - and when it's all over, there are only five teenagers left...
As the group bonds closer and the secrets begin to unravel, they wonder if they really knew each other - and themselves - as much as they thought they did. Eventually they've got no choice but to find out what happened to their friend... and what really happened in the time before they went missing.

Part One | the Beginning

Fawn Elizabeth Crimple decided it was time to get up.
It was six in the morning on May 29th, 2011. Her last day of eighth grade. The end of her eighth grade era. She was ready to rule grade nine with her best friend, Kendall Mayor. Kendall wasn’t the envy of the school, no, not one bit; yet she was still gorgeous in every way Fawn could possibly imagine. Her long, silky, curly black hair and her olive skin were two of the many things she loved about Kendall.
But she would have to think about that later, for it was time to get ready.
She padded to her personal bathroom, spread the aquatic-themed curtains all the way over from the left to the right and then turned on the hot water.
Fawn felt it stream down her back as she washed her curly chestnut brown hair. After the last bits of John Frieda conditioner were washed out, she washed her body with cocoa-scented body wash. Fawn had always been one to stray from the crowd with her style; and for Fawn style included scent. Usually fruity scents were in for the summer, but Fawn liked chocolate. So she picked chocolate to wear for this special day.
After she had shaved and was completely done in the bathroom, Fawn knew it was time to get dressed.
She slipped on a yellow Pikachu teeshirt(that was tight, nothing more to say there). Then she slipped on a pair of bleached, ripped denim shorts and some white ankle Converse. It was a simple last day of school outfit that looked perfect on her. She even had to admit, she looked pretty enviable.
After she was all ready, she grabbed her purple LeSportsac and dashed out the door. As usual, her mom wasn’t home. Her parents were divorced and Ms. Crimple had to work a lot.
It was okay, though, because Fawn was used to that.
As she waited at the bus stop for Kendall to meet up with her, Fawn pondered what was going to happen today. It just felt like one of those special days. After all the “school’s out” stuff, things would get calm. At the end of the day there was going to be one final pep rally, and then everyone was going to go to wherever they had plans to go to that night.
Fawn jumped when Kendall tapped her from behind.
“You look pretty good,” Kendall smiled genuinely. Her piercing green eyes seemed to look straight through Fawn’s skin. She shivered.
Kendall looked perfect today. Her skin glowed and her straight, jet black hair was in two thick braids. She was wearing white jean shorts with Puma sneakers (classic Kendall) and a teeshirt similar to Fawn’s, but its sleeves were shorter, and it was light blue with no Pokemon on it. Just a mermaid pattern.
“Ditto,” Fawn replied. She realized she was looking at Kendall’s chest a bit too long and quickly averted her eyes so she wouldn’t see.
Fawn had always found Kendall attractive. It was just the fact she was fourteen that Fawn felt she wasn’t old enough to… know.
At that moment, older kids started arriving and Kendall and Fawn’s conversation ceased.
On the bus, the girls were having a normal bus-conversation until Kendall’s Samsung Strive went off. Fawn craned her neck to look at the screen, smiling playfully, but Kendall shoved her away. Kendall never did that to her, so of course Fawn was shocked.
“Mind your own damn business,” Kendall snapped. “God, now I can see why you don’t take your phone to school.” She turned the other way and responded to the text swiftly, with a huge smile. After that she faced forward.
Fawn had been locked in a stare at Kendall the entire time she had done that. She knew Kendall didn’t have to be that mean about the text, but she still felt bad because she knew she could have been less nosy. Her face flushed as she tried hard not to cry.
You’re okay, you’re fine. She’ll get over it.
Yet, Fawn couldn’t help wondering…
Why had Kendall been so defensive?

“I don’t think you should even know how to use that.”
“It’s weed, David. Of course I want to ‘use’ it. And this is the best day to do it.”
David Angston and his best friend Carter Massey were the complete opposite of each other.
“Shit. We have nothing to light it with.” Carter stamped his foot in anger.
“You act like you’re three. Besides, Carter. You don’t want to smoke that stuff anyway.” David got up off the bench they were both sitting on and checked twice to make sure no one had seen Carter take the pot out of his pocket. Before Carter could put it back into his pocket, he grabbed it and tossed it into the middle of the street. Hopefully it would get run over by a car.
Carter cocked his head. Then he blew all of his anger off. He wasn’t about to get upset with his best friend on the last day of school, when afterward they were going to the local pool together and then Carter was sleeping at David’s.
“Do you think she’ll be there?” David asked with a smile, not facing his friend.
“I’m not so sure,” Carter retorted. “She’s joined to that other girl by the hip. I have to admit though, they’re both hot.”
David nodded in agreement.
The bus came.
David and Carter hopped on. They usually sat at their stop alone unless one of their parents came, which had only happened twice and that was in third grade.
Kendall and Fawn sat chattering away happily, just like the best friends they were. David glanced at them as he passed.
She seems like such a good friend to her.
Carter nudged him when he saw David checking his crush out.
“Stop making it insanely obvious you’re in love.”
David didn’t respond, but he nodded his head again. Carter smirked and looked out the window.
David’s eyes shifted back to the two girls. He noticed Kendall snap at Fawn for something he couldn’t quite make out. Fawn looked as if she was about to cry afterward and David saw that Kendall didn’t look apologetic… in fact she looked happy.
What did Kendall say?
David decided not to worry. It wasn’t his problem, anyway. At least not yet.

Raven and Rena Kinter were twins.
They didn’t like being twins very much. Well, they didn’t like being twins at all.
“It’s the last day of school, Rena. It’s also like 80 degrees out.”
“Oh.”
Rena looked down at her choice of bleached ripped skinny jeans and Converse boots. She had on a black tank top. Her curly black hair and pale skin flared against her dark brown eyes. She had thick eyeliner on, and it tailed out about a centimeter. Her mascara made her eyelashes look fuller and thicker than usual, and her cheeks were dusted with blush.
“Why do you look like such a goth all the time?” Raven replied, looking at her sister through the mirror.
“I don’t know,” Rena countered softly. She didn’t like fighting with her sister.
Raven smoothed her own outfit. “Do I look okay?”
Raven had straightened her own thick black hair. She had on a mint green floral Hollister skirt and red cork wedges. They had to be four inches off the ground. Her tanned legs were freshly shaved, same with her unsightly upper-lip hair. She had light pink lip gloss on and her bangs were pulled back from her face with a mint green bow. Her soft red tank top was tucked into her skirt and her makeup was light and soft.
“Yeah,” Rena replied softer than before. She felt like such a dope compared to how her sister looked; popular and gorgeous. Rena always tagged along with Raven and her friends, but she never felt like part of their group.
She was insanely glad school was over.
As they walked out the door to walk to school, Raven grabbed two granola bars; one chocolate chip for her, the other smore’s for Rena. Rena took hers and opened it the second it entered her grip, but she didn’t eat it until they were almost there.
“Are you okay?” Raven asked after they were silent for a while.
Rena nodded. She looked forward and suddenly downed her granola bar.
Raven’s white iPhone 4 went off suddenly. “Reen,” She said reading the text she’d just gotten with a smile. “Caitlyn just said we’re all going to the pool after school. Do you wanna come with?”
Rena pondered it for a second. Go to the pool? With her beautiful sister? In a bikini? With the popular boys? With the popular girls? With the crappy snack bar food? With-
Like you have any other plans for today.
“Sure,” Rena smirked. “Why not?”

Raven and Rena sat at their reserved place of their lunch table, and as Raven talked to Caitlyn Reed and Maddie Langer about some magazine they’d read Rena sat silently. She didn’t like sitting at the “popular” table very much, but she knew she’d get ridiculed endlessly if she didn’t sit there. They would ask for a reason, and even if Rena gave her honest reason, they would twist it and she would get bullied and then-
She halted her thoughts and watched everyone continue talking as she ate.
Things need to change this summer, Rena. You either need to be accepted or find new friends.
Rena’s eyes drifted over to Kendall Mayor and Fawn Crimple. They were chattering alone at their own lunch table. It never seemed to bother them that they were unpopular. They were so close that they didn’t need anyone else.
Rena wished things could be like that with some girl. She wanted a best friend. Maybe she could weasel her way in with Kendall. Kendall seemed so nice.
Then she remembered why she could never be friends with Kendall and sighed.
Oh, the things she knew about her sister.